Former deputy property manager at the Royal Household pleads not guilty to
receiving payments to award contracts for work at royal palaces

A senior official in the Royal Household was sent for trial on Tuesday charged with receiving payments of more than £100,000 to award contracts for work at royal palaces.

Ron Harper, deputy property manager at the Royal Household from 1994 until he was suspended in 2012, appeared at Westminster magistrates’ court with eight other men and one woman, who all indicated not guilty pleas.

It is alleged that between 2006 and 2011, company directors bribed Mr Harper, 61, of Sudbury, Suffolk, in return for him awarding them large contracts for work at the palaces. The defendants were sent for trial at Southwark Crown Court with a scheduled hearing of Aug 12.

Luke Bulpitt, a lawyer with the Crown Prosecution Service specialist crime division, said outside court: “Following an investigation by Leicestershire Police’s financial investigation unit, the CPS has authorised charges against nine men and a woman in connection with alleged fraudulent activity concerning property management at the royal palaces.

“It is alleged that between 2006 and 2011, a number of company directors bribed Ron Harper, who worked as deputy property manager at the Royal Household from 1994 until he was suspended in 2012, in return for him awarding them large contracts for work at the royal palaces. The work was funded by the then Civil List, now called the Sovereign Grant, and [the money was] paid by the Government to the Royal Household.

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“Between 2006 and 2011, it is alleged that Mr Harper was paid in excess of £100,000 by Christopher Murphy, Aseai Zlaoui, David Woodhams, Bernard Gackowski and Steven Thompson, the directors of three companies who were, during the same period, each awarded large contracts for work at the royal palaces.” He added that two of the three companies received royal warrants.

“A fourth company, it is alleged, was also awarded work in the royal palaces and provided Mr Harper with an oil tank and boiler system for his home free of charge,” said Mr Bulpitt. He added that it was also alleged that in some instances an inflated price was agreed for work, with the excess used in part to fund bribes.

Mr Bulpitt said: “In addition, it is alleged that a family member of Mr Harper was used to receive payments.

“The 10 individuals are charged with six offences, including conspiracy to give and receive corrupt payments, conspiracy to commit fraud by abuse of position and converting or transferring criminal property.”

Mr Harper is charged with four counts of conspiracy to give and receive corrupt payments. His co-defendants include Mr Thompson, 60, of Melton Mowbray, Leics, a former director of Melton Power Services; and Mr Gackowski, 61, of Keyworth, Notts, a former director of the same firm.